Wednesday, April 13, 2016

At a press conference today,
Rep. Ken Clark, D-Phoenix (District 24), introduced a plan for reforming the
elections process in Arizona. The recent Presidential Preference Election saw a
70 percent decrease in the number of polling centers compared to the previous
election, which forced thousands of voters in Maricopa County to wait hours in
long lines before casting their ballots. The difficulties those voters
experienced demonstrate that common-sense but significant changes to the
elections process are necessary. To ensure that all Arizona voters have the
opportunity to participate in their state’s future elections, Rep. Clark
proposed the following five policy changes:

Amend state statute
so that, like other counties, Maricopa County must have one polling place for no
more than ever 2,000 voters. Currently, Arizona law allows a county with over
200,000 active registered voters to have no more than one-half of the number of
precincts as of January 1st of a presidential election years. A.R.S.
§ 16-248(C). Counties with a lower number of active registered voters are
required to have no more than one polling place for every 2,000 active
registered voters. Larger counties should have to meet the same standards for
polling places as are smaller counties so that every voter, regardless of county
residence, should have the same ability to access the polls as any other voter
in the state.

Allow registered
Independent voters to vote in the Presidential Preference Election in future
years. State law limits voter participation in the Presidential Preference
Election to voters who have a political party preference indicated on their
voter registration record, which excludes independents and voters who chose not
to designate a political party preference. We can reverse that policy very
easily and open the Presidential Preference Election to all registered voters in
Arizona.

The legislature
should fully fund a sufficient number of polling locations to meet the demand,
as well as providing funding for elections officials to educate the public about
important voting regulations, such as the deadlines to register to vote, polling
places locations, and information about ID requirements for in-person voting,
including in our high schools so that young people will be informed and excited
about participating in our democracy. The Arizona Legislature knew that it did
not provide sufficient funding for this year’s Presidential Preference Election,
but legislationto
fix that funding shortfall stalled in the Senate and that left counties
scrambling the cover the costs.

Create a five-member
panel of retired judges to review state election law changes and elections
administration plans against the Voting Rights Act and advise and recommend
action in cases where changes might violate the Act and infringe on voters’
rights. This panel could be appointed by both Republican and Democratic
lawmakers, to include at least one registered independent. Like many boards and
commissions, this panel would have limited staff and a limited scope of
authority. It would not have enforcement or law-making capabilities, but it
could investigate, report and recommend.

Allow automatic
voter registration when residents obtain or update their drivers’ licenses at
the Department of Motor Vehicles. Legislationto
implement this change was introduced during this legislative session, but it
never received a hearing. Oregon and California have already implemented
automatic voter registration, and a dozen other states have introduced similar
legislation. Oregon
is already seeing an increase in the number of registered
voters.

VOTE SMART

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